I am a Registered Nurse. Career-wise I am currently doing medical transcription, mostly for workmen's compensation doctors. Daily, I learn of multiple MRIs, X-rays, and nerve conduction studies done on single patients, seeing different doctors. One patient might have 4- 6 MRIs on one body part in a year's time, and even then, no good medial outcome, while the tests increase the national health care costs. Personally, I have had a foot problem that somehow has been difficult to diagnose. I underwent tests with no results in 2007. I continued to... (more)

My son is 27, has a college degree, holds down 2 part time jobs and is one of the "working poor." He cannot afford health insurance, so I have been paying for it on his behalf. I work and my employer pays for my health insurance. My son has several non-life-threatening problems, has had several surgeries and simply cannot be without insurance. I refuse to accept that our country is unable to afford to provide basic coverage to working people while every other developed nation can - we need a public option where everyone is guaranteed... (more)

When I came down with pneumonia, over half of the tests that the ER physician ordered were deemed unnecessary by my insurance carrier. Even though the physician was a member of the board of directors of the insurance company, he could not persuade them. Now that I am on Medicare, I no longer have to worry.

My job only offers medical ins to management positions.I have MD.Thank goodness a clinic opened offering the sliding fee scale in my tiny community.The free physical therapy provided by the MDA is quite a drive in Medford!Thank goodness Oregon offers the Oregon Health Plan for children 18 and under!

I have numerous friends, all highly educated at some of the finest American universities, who are pursuing their dreams, volunteering rather than working for pay, and going without health insurance (and in many cases care). Some of our most impressive citizens are not supported even as they support this country and the best things about it: its independent small farmers, its entrepreneurs, its volunteers, its sick, weak, and impoverished. Not to mention the sick, weak, and impoverished, the small businessman, the small-scale farmer who go... (more)

I am a retired Family Nurse Practitioner. In 1998 my family moved to Chiloquin, Oregon, a very poor, largely Native American and low income caucasian town in a large and economically depressed county in SE Oregon. Seeing a vast unmet need for health care, using my retirement money and a second mortgage my daughter, an RN and I built and ran a private clinic to serve the people around us. Many of our patients had no insurance - we cared for them anyway, sometimes taking offerings of eggs, elk and deer meat, fruit from gardens, etc in trade... (more)

When the company I worked for stopped paying our premiums without informing the employees, our blue shield coverage was canceled. The company had convinced blue sheild that payment was coming. By the time the employees found out it was too late to pay the premiums ourselves to keep the policy current. Attempts to reapply as an individual, were way more expensive and even minor "preexisting conditions" made it impossible to get coverage.

Have a friend dying of cancer. He wored, had no health insurance. Didn't make enough to buy it but to much to get ti for free. Had a growth on his head. Left it for about 7 years. No doctor, no money no health care. Turned 65 went on medicare and now he has had it looked at....too late. The cancer is in hi brain. I have Crohns disease and am uninsurable unless I am coverered under my hubands group plan because he was usnion and has health care til he is 65, I have health care til he is 65 also. Feb 2010 I lose my health care unless I... (more)

We are fortunate to live in Oregon which offers Oregon Medical Insurance Pool. When my husband retired and COBRA ran out, a friend told me about this program. I wish every state had this option but it must be more affordable. We are also fortunate that we can sort of afford the $1100 a month premium. Most cannot. Please, please make changes, and please do not just assume that cutting payments to hospitals and physicians is the answer. I've worked in healthcare for almost 40 years. The problem is not what hospitals charge; it's what... (more)

I have been a single parent for years, and thought I would get ahead once my sons were grown...boy did I get a rude awakening. Just in the last year alone, my cost of insurance has gone up, along with copays and prescription copays, to the tune of over $250 a month - not to mention that with no raise, I have to work that many more hours just to cover it. I cannot be without insurance because of diabetes, but some months I have to choose between buying insulin and buying food. Hard choice, huh?

I had medical coverage I sahred a cost of. When I retired I was paying for a cobra policy. This policy proved too expensive for me to continue. I am relatively healthy, I now pay for a suplimental helth plan which is not a major medical plan. I am 61 yrs old and have no other insurance nor do I qualify for medicare until I reach 65. I certainly hope I do not have any major medical expence. Major medical premiums are out of control for individuals as myself and there ar elimited numbe ro f Doctors in my home town taking new patients who do... (more)

My father, while dying of emphyzema & heart problems, could only worry about the bills he was leaving for my mother; and where upon his death, he knew she would no longer have any health insurance. Therefore, instead of trying to concentrate on getting well, he could only worry about bills he was leaving behind. Sad - in a country as rich and wonderful as ours', he'd work hard all his life in the oilfields of SoCA and have nothing to show for it, but medical bills incurred when his life came to a close. It broke my heart to see his... (more)

We are over whelmed in health care cost. We are self employed. We create jobs for people in our country. My husband has skin cancer. Our Dermatologist was killed landing a plane in Portland, OR.( Dr. Otoski) He was our friend, we decorated his house, in side and out. We have to travel over 90 miles now for health care. We have a shortage of MDS in our area. I am a retired RN, never thought health care would be such a luxuary of the rich.Just want well being health care in our area! We are just having to pay out of the pocket cost for our... (more)

I am a self employed person I care for old people in my home. I have not had health insurance for 9 years. Recently I went to a walk in clinic for a physical exam, a large mass was detected in my abdomen, I was sent to a gynocologist, it cost me aprox $14.000.00 with discounts from the doctors and and the hospital to make the diagnosis. I was referred to another specialist, an oncologist six hours away from my home pending surgey. The cost is between $17-35.000 although the hospital gives a discount there is a 50% up front fee, that does... (more)

The health care of all citizens should be taken out of the hands of the large insurance companies whose bottom line is the dollar...NOT affordable healthcare. I am retired, however, my husband's employer does not offer health care and we cannot afford the premiums just for him. My daughter is a college student, working part time and she cannot afford health care premiums. We pray that we never have to face a major medical emergency that could take our home. My medicare and prescription D premiums along with the rising cost of prescriptions... (more)

Sorry I don't have health care... But that is not what I am writing about..Just couldn't figure out where else to put it.. We live in America we use America money.... I just tried to pay a cell phone bill for my brother and I was paying with cash,,,.."oh no we don't handle cash ,,///////There will be a fee...WHAT!! My little (heavy 52 year old brother paid me in quartes ///...so to help the store clerk I counted them in 4's.... OK this one time but if you pay in coins they need to be wrapped.... I love America..My MOM at 73 with... (more)

I have had two surgeries in the past 4 yrs and am still paying for them both. I had an emergency appendectomy and an emergency herniectomy two yrs later. I am one of the fortunate ones as the hospital I go to is allowing me to make payments. The doctors and anesthesiologist and hospital were great, the bill was excrutiating. I consider myself doing well as I am able to make these payments, not every American has that possibility. There are many who live well below the poverty line here. I feel it is very unfortunate we live in a country... (more)

Hi, I am a nurse. I live in Texas close to the border. When I became pregnant with my Daughter I was shocked at the amount of money I would have to pay even with my insurance. I decided to have my child in Mexico. If someone would have told me that I would be giving birth in Mexico, I would have said you are crazy, but this is what I had to do. Even thought my husband and I both had good paying jobs. The copay was just too much. We need a healthcare plan that is affordable with no copays and covers everyone equally no matter what their income.... (more)

My name is Susan I am 55 years old and have been overweight for 10 years. I started gaining alot of weight after I quit smoking. I have tried everything and just am unable to get it off. I was without insurance for several years and my health has deteriorated. I have always been an outdoor person and love to hike. I now live in Oregon and it is very beautiful. Sadly I am unable to take advantage of the hiking paths because it has become very difficult to walk for very long. I was recently told that I am borderline diabetic. I am on the state... (more)

My daughter, Lydia, was born June 10, 1989. After she was born it was discovered that she had severe AVM in the right side of her brain (all her arteries & veins were directly connected to each other, there were no capillaries). She was in a neonatal intensive care nursery for 3.5 months. Previously to finding out I was pregnant, I had worked in the cafeteria of the hospital (where Lydia was born) for a little over 3 months, just long enough to qualify for health insurance with their corporate insurance. I was "let go" because... (more)